Bay Area CB Excels at Top Gun

Mario Gomez

07/23/2008

If stats don't lie, then Vallejo (Calif.) CB C.J. Anderson was the top DB at this past weekend's star-studded Top Gun Camp in Florida. Anderson ran the fastest shuttle (4.09) and did not allow a reception in one-on-ones or seven-on-seven action the entire weekend. He also picked off five passes while covering the likes of Michigan commit Bryce McNeal and USC commit Randall Carroll…

C.J. Anderson (5-10, 180) is a rising star. We first caught up with the talent during spring break when he was working out with legendary DB guru Coach Tony Perry at the King of the West Workouts.

He was one of the select invites to the recent Top Gun Camp in Florida. No one expected much from the underrated prospect, however, he left the event very confident of his performance. He is still awaiting his first offer. He says unofficial visits to California and Oregon State earlier this summer have yielded major interest, but no official offers.

"I talked to [Oregon State DB] Coach [Keith] Heyward yesterday (Monday)," said Anderson. "[Coach Heyward] was talking about offering me sooner, maybe before the season or within the first three games."

Cal is another school that has talked about offering Anderson.

"[DB] Coach [Al] Simmons has been talking to me," said Anderson. "I've been told he likes tall DBs and athletic. I'm athletic. Maybe the middle of the season they'll offer."

His recent showing in Florida against many of the nation's top rated receivers certainly will not hurt his recruitment.

"I just went out and did what I did," said Anderson. "[The coaches] told me I played like a five-star. I'm known on Scout. They didn't expect much from me out there. I gave up no catches in one-on-ones and had three picks, in seven-on-seven, no catches and two picks. Not one receiver caught a ball [against me]. I ran the fastest shuttle. The fastest time was 4.25, and I ran a 4.09. I had a 32" vertical, but it could've been better."

Anderson, who played QB and DB last season, competed as a CB with some of the best players in the nation. In drills and one-on-ones, he shut down some of the top receivers at the camp.

"They were like seven safeties and six cornerbacks," said Anderson. "I shut down Michigan commit [Minneapolis (Minn.) Breck WR] Bryce McNeal who they say runs a 4.37 forty. It was a post-corner, but I have to give it up to Coach [Tony] Perry's King of the West Workouts. It really helped me out a lot with my footwork. Ton has us do drills…drop your hips, don't bite on the post. That's what I did and made the play."

"I went against Carroll twice," said Anderson. "One was a curl route and I knocked it down. The other was thrown over our heads and neither of us could make a play. Logan was more like a tight end than a receiver. He ran a dig route and I made an interception."

Anderson arrived Friday night. To help his nerves, he worked out alone early Saturday morning.

"Saturday morning, I did a bit of Ton's workouts to help myself get comfortable," said Anderson. "I went through a few cone drills and there was a ladder they let me use. The humidity was tough. [Vanderbilt commit] Eric Samuels, a running back from Florida, watched me go through the drills. He was like, ‘that must be a Cali workout.' I showed him a little but he said that looks hard. ‘That workout is the equivalent of chasing rabbits in Florida.' They chase rabbits out here to get fast. Some of the drills, he'd never saw."

Academically, Anderson reports a 3.0 GPA after his most recent update from summer school. He scored a 937 on his SAT, but plans on retaking it this fall.